Team Building at Northampton

History Makers—Part IV

The latest in the ACS’s planned series of auctions kicked off last weekend. It closes at 10:00 BST on Monday, October 21, and should have plenty to interest those who follow cricket in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. The auction also contains some statistical material, a small selection of narrative books by EW Swanton, and a tranche of 35 lots on women’s cricket. Register now to avoid missing out.

What follows is the fourth installment in our series on the 1934/35 women’s Ashes tour. The previous installment is here.

Touring Team vs. The Rest

Touring Team 56 (C Holden 5-17, O Andrews 4-23) and 113-3 dec. (E Snowball 55, E Child 26.) The Rest 140-8 dec. (M Pollard 54, O Andrews 23, M Spear 3-30, M Hide 3-47) and 29-3.

The tourists’ first public appearance was in appropriately glorious sunshine at Northampton. Archdale, winning the toss, elected to bat on a sticky wicket, but her decision soon looked dubious as Constance Holden returned both openers, leaving the tourists reeling at nine for two. Although Mary Child and Molly Hide rallied, the nervous batters managed only two fours and two twos in a pre-lunch total of 56 all out. The Rest’s bowling and fielding were outstanding—Snook took a brilliant catch to finish the innings—and their batters negotiated a few tricky overs before lunch.

After the interval Hide came into the attack, and bowled the left-handed Megan Lowe and Amy Bull in successive deliveries. When Marjorie Pollard took guard, the Rest were seventeen for two. Pollard and Joan Davis pushed the score to fifty, when Davis fell similarly. At this stage, the Rest went on the attack. Pollard was particularly fluent before she was brilliantly caught by Mary Taylor at long leg for 54. Olive Andrews contributed 23, and the lower order chipped in with handy runs before a teatime declaration at 140 for eight.

The tourists showed to much better effect in their second innings, Snowball hitting a fine 55, and Archdale made a sporting declaration at 113 for three, setting the Rest a tempting thirty to win in as many minutes. But Archdale’s fielders were alert at every moment, and the bowlers were miserly. And so it was that, on the stroke of 6.30pm, with four runs needed from the last delivery, Davis swung her bat and took three. The scores were level.

Contemporary media all state that the match resulted in a tie, but is this correct? Was the result a draw, with the scores level, or a genuine tie? We should respect the interpretation of the laws by the Women’s Cricket Association. Let us consider the scenarios that could have panned out as Davis played the final ball:

• Had she hit it for four, the Rest would have won the match by seven wickets.

• Had she hit it for two or fewer, they would have finished on 28 for three (or lower), and thus would have won the match on first-innings scores. 

• They only failed to win the game by finishing on precisely 29 runs.

Aftermath

Archdale admitted, on reflection, that her decision to bat was a mistake, but she might have taken heart from an Australian who had traveled to see the match. Mrs E.A. Thomas, former vice president of the Australian Women’s Cricket Association, was impressed by what she had seen: “I think they should beat our girls—but you English have been playing cricket for centuries…”

Would this be the XI for the First Test Match in December? Morgan, Berletson, Liebert and tour manager Green didn’t play. The day had belonged to two players who, although not in the touring party, had played important roles in the game’s development.

Constance Holden (née Edge), 26, a right-arm medium-paced bowler and useful tail-end batter who played in the first international match for England against Scotland in 1932. She bowled Betty Snowball (who qualified for Scotland because she had been schooled there) in each innings. Holden was renowned for her accuracy, and topped 100 wickets during the 1930 season, including 6-34 for the North against the South.

Marjorie Pollard, 35, a hard-hitting right-hand batter, deceptive bowler, fine field, and excellent captain. She, too, played in the inaugural international match between England and Scotland. Although her first love was probably hockey (in which code she represented England between 1921 and 1933), she was a founding member of the WCA in 1926, and the forthcoming tour would not have been possible without the foundations she had built. She had been editor of Women’s Cricket since 1930 and reported numerous newspaper articles.

The party would depart on 19th October. Although there would be some cricket for them in Colombo, the serious business would only begin on 24th November, when they were to meet Western Australia…